Haïdar El Ali, Senegalese ecologist and leader of the African Greens, was appointed Minister for the Environment and Protection of nature by recently elected President Macky Sall.

“Senegal has proved to be at the forefront of democracy and political innovation in Africa”, said Monica Frassoni, co-chair of the European Green Party (EGP), who attended the Congress in Dakar.

“The appointment of a recognized and influential environmentalist as Minister in Senegal tells us how the new government envisages to seriously tackle issues of global importance, such as the protection of our natural resources and climate change.

Today the European Greens are proud and delighted. We express our heartfelt congratulations and best wishes to Haïdar for this new challenge, and renew our support and commitment to continuously work together with the African Greens towards a green, democratic and fair global future”.

Haïdar is the President of FEDES, the Green Party of Senegal, a well-respected political party in the country, which has been instrumental in organizing last week an inspiring Global Greens Congress in Dakar , the first in Africa, and which has been building up strength and outreach in the run up to the parliamentary elections scheduled for the beginning of July.

He has been named one of the world’s most influential environmentalists by Le Monde, and has been a strenuous fighter against overfishing and polluting fishing practices in Senegal, launching with his diving group a successful campaign to retrieve over 3000 deadly fishing nets abandoned in the ocean.

In 2009, Haïdar has successfully launched a first campaign to raise awareness about living in better harmony with nature, and fight in particular against destructive human practices. The campaign replanted 30 millions mangroves, and was repeated the following year.

The New Senegalese Government also sees singer and former Presidential candidate Youssou N’dour as Minister for Culture and the Arts.

Representatives of over 70 green parties from across the world met 29th March – 1st April 2012 in Senegal for the 3rd Global Congress, the first in Africa, and tackled issues such as solidarity, democracy, biodiversity, climate change, and the future of the Global Greens movement. www.dakar2012.org